Super Bowl XLVII Preview: 49ers Favored to Beat Baltimore

It's almost hard to believe but the exciting 2012-13 National Football League season comes to an end this Sunday evening when the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens meet in Super Bowl XLVII at the Superdome in New Orleans (6:30 pm ET).

How does this Super Bowl betting matchup break down? Here's a quick preview.

Most online sportsbooks opened their Super Bowl XLVII betting with San Francisco favored by 4.5 points. But early betting action on Baltimore pushed that line down to 3.5.

Most books also opened the OVER/UNDER on Sunday's “Big Game” at 49, but many have since dropped that figure to 47.

And in moneyline betting the Niners can be found as low as -170 to win this game straight up, while the Ravens can be found at as much as +160 to pull off the upset.

San Francisco went off this season as a 10/1 shot to win the Super Bowl, then proceeded to win the NFC West by going 11-4-1, even though they made a change at quarterback, replacing Alex Smith with pistol-packin' Colin Kaepernick. The Niners then knocked off Green Bay in the divisional round of the playoffs, before rallying to beat the Falcons in Atlanta in the NFC championship game, earning their first Super Bowl berth in 18 seasons.

Baltimore, meanwhile, went off this season getting 15/1 to win the Super Bowl, then won the AFC North by going 11-5. The Ravens then shook off a late-season swoon by beating the Colts in a wild card game, the Broncos in the divisional round and the Patriots in the AFC title game. So the Ravens are playing in the Super Bowl for the first time in a dozen seasons.

The NFC has won the last three Super Bowls, and four of the last five. NFC teams are also a perfect 5-0 vs. the pointspreads over the last five Super Bowls.

But the betting-line favorites have lost three of the last five Super Bowls straight up, and they're just 3-8 ATS going back to the Patriots' upset of the Rams 11 years ago.

Finally, six of the last eight Super Bowls have stayed UNDER on the totals.